Display case



July 24, 1934. F. SIMMONS ET Al.

DISPLAY CASE Filed May 12, 1930 ENTQRS 5 z 777 7710775 5 M ,z' yer ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 24, 1934 PATENT OFFICE 1,967,542 msPLAYoAsE Frank Simmons and Charles M. Dinger, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Fred Sanders, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 12, 1930, Serial No. 451,526

2 Claims. (Cl. 62--91.5)

This invention relates to display cases and particularly to display cases for articles which must be kept at a temperature considerably less than that of the room.

, 5. One object of this invention is to provide a display case in which the novel means of refrigerating the articles displayed is visible to the prospective purchaser.

Another object is to provide a movable unitary display case suitable for use with solid Vcarbon dioxide snow known to the trade as dry-ice, eliminating compressors, pipes and connections, and water from melted ice.

Another object is to provide a display case for articles which must be kept chilled at a low temperature but must be kept dry.

Another object is to provide a refrigerating case in which the objects being preserved by refrigeration are visible and may be displayed in a very attractive manner.

Another object is to provide cheap and substantial details of construction that will give the nished display case a strong structure and a pleasing appearance. Y

Another object is to provide a display case'i which the internal pressure of inert refrigerating gas expels and excludes the moisture laden and oxidizing atmosphere from the case; A

Another object is to provide a. refrigerator display case in which the cold gases carried from the dry ice or other refrigerant will circulate naturally and in a positive manner through the display case refrigerating the articles displayed therein.

Numerous other objects and features of novelty will bespecically pointed out or will be apparent upon reading the accompanying specification, claims and drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the iigures of the drawing, in` whch- Fig. 1 is a plan view, with portions broken away to show details of construction, of an illustrative embodiment of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionalview of Fig. 1 taken along the line 2-2 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 2 taken along the line 3-3 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a portion of Fig. 1, taken along the line 4-4 looking in the direction indicated, showing the vdetails of construction.

Fig. 5 is a View in elevation, with parts broken 55A away, of the front of the display case.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View similar to that shown in Fig. 2showing a modification of my invention. f

There are numerous articles in commercial trade that it is advantageous to show in display cases but that must Vbe preserved by a low temperature, and cannot be exposed to moisture or the oxidizing effects of the air. All display cases must have some unusual feature to attract attention in the business. world today. Just T. recently the use of carbon dioxide snow, or dryice, on a commercial scale as a refrigerant, vhas causedgreat interest among the general public all over the country.

Applicant solves this problem of displaying 'l0V perishable articles that must nat be subjected to the effects of exposure to moisture or oxidation of the air by placing them in a transparent case, which has a transparent refrigerating chamber, that is designed to attract the attention of the 75.- public by showing the use of a novel refrigerant, such as dry-ice, which furnishes a cold dry inert gaseous refrigerant.

In this manner curiosity in the refrigeration means employed causes the public to observe closely the articles displayed, and the character of the refrigeration means preserves the articles.

Y In Fig. 1 is Vshown an illustrative embodimen of our invention. y

A display case generally designated as l1 has 35 a horizontally extending transparent display chamber, generally designated as l2, a relatively raised transparent refrigerant chamber, generally designated as 13, communicating directly therewith and a duct, generally designated as 15, connecting the `extreme ends of the refrigerant and display chambers and separated therefrom by a baile, generally designated as 14 and 31, designed to set up a circulation of .air (due to convection on the thermo siphon principle) between the display chamber and the refrigerant chamber. y r

In Fig. 2, a horizontally disposed T-shaped base 16, 'a vertical front wall 17, a pair of parallel vertical Side walls 18, 19 and a pair of Vertical-rear walls 21, 22, forming the lower portion of the display chamber, and a pair of vertical side walls 23, 24 and a rear wall 26 forming the lower portion of the refrigerant chamber, are all rigidly secured together.

The base and the walls may be made of wood.

Extending entirely around the perimeter ofthe base, secured rigidly thereto, and covering the joints between the walls and the base is a strip of metal moulding 27 that gives a finished appearance to the display case.

Mounted in a single plane upon the side walls 18, 19, 23 and 24 parallel to, and spaced above the horizontal base are a plurality of supporting blocks or brackets 28.

Resting on these supporting brackets 28 and guided by the lower walls of the case is a T-shaped horizontally disposed shelf 29, the front portion 31 of which forms a display shelf and has a plurality of relatively large apertures 32 formed` therethrough near the forward edge thereof.

These apertures 32 are passages for the circulation of the cooling medium as will be hereinafter described in the operation of the device.

The rear portion 33 of the T-shaped horizontal shelf 29 supports and has rigidly secured thereto the baffle 14 and a refrigerant support rack, generally designated as 34, is supported and rigidly secured to the baille 14.

V The shelf 29, bao 14 and rack 34 .may allbe made out of wood. v

The baffle 14 is composed of the entire horizontal T-shapedshelf 29, the rear portion 33, relatively short Vertical rectangular front wall 36,

a relatively tall vertical rectangular rear wall 37, a pair of trapesoidal vertical sidewalls 38, 39 equal in height at each end to the respective wall abutted, and an inclined rectangular top wall 41, all rigidly secured together along their marginal edges to form a hollow prism shaped box-like structure. Y

This box-like structure extends from the wall 23 entirely over to the wall 24 and forces all circulating air to pass over the rear upper edge of the wall 37 as will be explained more fully in the operation of the'device.

Mounted on the top wall 41 vis the refrigerant support rack 34 which is composed of a plurality of spaced supporting struts 42. The struts 42 extend in a forwardly inclined direction substantially perpendicular tothe plane of the top wall 41 and are secured rigidly tothe Wall 41 at their lower ends. The struts 42 are rigidly secured to and support a transverse rack element 43 of rhombcidal cross-section, in such a manner that the top surface of the rackvelement 43 is in a horizcntal plane with the rear upper edge of the wall 37.

Mounted rigidly to the rear upper edge of wall 37 and to the upper surface of transverse element 43 are a plurality of transversely spaced longitudinally extending rack members 44.

These rack members 44 support the refrigerant which may be carbon dioxide snow in the form of a plurality of pressed blocks 46, placed with spaces 47 to allow circulation of air therebetween as will be later set forth in more detail in the operation of the device.

The top surfaces of the walls 17, 18, 19,21, 22, 23,24 are all in a horizontal plane and` have a groove 48 in their medial portion to receive divers plates of glass numbered 57, 58,59, 61, 62, 63 and 64 respectivelywhich form a `transparent continuation of these vertical walls. A

The wall 26, however, extends upwardlyto the top of the refrigerant container, forming the back thereof, is opaque, and has the rear edges of the glass plates 63 and 64 secured thereto.

The rear wall 26 has a door opening 67 cut therethrough to give access to the refrigerant chamber to insert refrigerant and door positioning lugs 68 mounted on its inner surface at widely spaced points. A door 69 lits in the opening and gas rolls down the slope 41 and passes forwardly is held against the lugs by means of buttons 71 which turn on pivots 72 in the surface of Walls 26.

The front wall 17 and the back door 68 have a plurality of relatively small diametered apertures 73 extending therethrough to permit the passage of gas as will be described in the operation of the device. l

Secured to the front edges ofthe glass plates 63 and 64 is a front glass plate 66. The tops of these glass plates 63, 64 and 60 and the top of back 26 are all in the same horizontal plane and a glass plate forming a top to the refrigerant chamber 13 is secured rigidly thereto. The lower edges of the glass plates 63 and 64 are secured to the walls 23 and 24 of the same. The lower edge of theglass plate 60 has a felt strip glued. thereto and is normally ush with the top surface of a glass plate 66 to be described later.

The glass plates 61 and 62 are rigidly secured to the glass plates 63 and 64 and to glass plates 58 and59 which in turn are rigidly secured to glass plate 57. The glass plates 57, 58 and 59, `61 and 62 are attached to walls 17,18 and 19, 21 and 22 respectively and are held rigidly inthe groove 48. The tops of these glass plates are all in th-e saine horizontal plane and have a felt strip or gasket glued thereto on which rests a cover glass. plate 66, to form a transparent ,removable .cover for the display chamber 12. This cover glass plate is removed to give access to the displayed articles 95 and may be removed by lifting the outer end and then drawing it forward until the glass 66 clears the glass plate 60, whereupon the cover plate 66 is lifted vertically out of the Way.

l The glasses are secured together by any Vsuitable means such as felt strips 74 which are glued to both the abutting surfaces or" theglass or glass and wood, with the .exception of the felt strip between the glass plates 58 and 66, 59 and 66, 61 and 66, 62 and 66 and 60 and 66 respectively, where @3 5 they are only glued to 58, 59, 61, 62 and 60, respectively.

The glass plates that are attached to the walls are similarly secured thereto. l

In Fig. 6 isshown amodicationof our inveni2() tion in which a refrigerant expansion coil provides the cooling element instead of the blocks of carbon dioxide snow 46. i Y The operation ofthis device is as follows:

- The perishable material -which is to be dis- 1195 played is placed upon the supporting tray and the cover replaced and-therefrigerant consisting. of blocks of dryV ice isplaced onthe refrigerant Vsupporting tray and the door is closed. Y Prospective customers attract-ed bythe novelty 20 of the dry-iceexposed to their ,viewareable to closely examine the perishable articles inv this manner creating a demand for the-articles and thus fulfilling the function of a display case. f

The dry ice sublimes under normal atmospheric @l5 pressure at--70.8 F. forming alargefvolum'e of chemically insert non-odorou'sgas which is very dense and cold, and 'is much heavier than the other gases in the display chamber. vThe 'cold into the chamber 12 forcing the warmgases'the'rei in'downholes 32 (and to a lesser degree outholes 73) The cold gas then passes down holes 32 (and to a lesser degree out holes 73) and passes back 35 under the tray 31 back behind'wall 37. By this time Vit has warmed and expanded and being lighter than the gases now rolling downslope 41 it rises or is forced upv over the edge of wall 37 (and to a lesser extent out rear holes173l and be;- 50

tween the blocks of dry ice 46 where it is chilled and condenses becoming heavy.

This cycle goes on indefinitely until all the dry ice is sublimed. The holes 73 allow the escape of excess gas as it is formed and prevent the pressure from rising too high in the interior.

The carbonio acid gas is so much heavier and colder than air cooled by ice that less insulation and less bales to induce convection are needed.

The articles displayed may be deliquescent or water absorbing and the slightest moisture in the air might cause them to deteriorate. They will undergo no change in this display case, however, as the carbonio acid gas is absolutely dry and hydroscopic and soon displaces all the other gas out openings 73.

As long as the temperature of the room is above -70i8 F. (which it always is normally) the dry ice will evaporate into gas, and as long as the dry ice lasts the pressure inside the display cabinet is going to be greater than the pressure outside, and as long as this pressure differential is maintained no air can possibly enter the openings 73 but carbonio acid gas will emerge instead, keeping oxidizing gases such as air away from the displayed articles.

'Ihe advantages are numerous, the most important being the provision of a unitary refrigeration display case, which may be placed anywhere or moved about without any water drippings to remove or compressors to take care of; a display case in which the articles are preserved to a dry cold gas and protected from the oxidation, or moisture, of the air; a display case that attracts immediate attention due to its novelty.

Numerous other advantages and novel features will be apparent from reading the specification and the claims.

While we have shown in the drawing a particular illustrative form of our invention involving two modications, various other modifications may be made in the same and in the various features of construction Without materially changing the invention therein and formal changes may be made in the specic embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit or substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A display case comprising a relatively low horizontal portion having a transparent top and a relatively high rear portion having a transparent front wall, a false bottom spaced from the main bottom of the case and extending from within the high portion into the low portion and means for supporting carbon dioxide upon the false bottom within the high portion of the case, said case having openings for the escape of gaseous carbon dioxide from the forward portion of the case.

2. A display case comprising a relatively low forward portion and a relatively high rearward portion, a false bottom within the rear portion spaced from the main bottom thereof, a rack upon the false bottom for supporting frozen carbon dioxide and an inclined baille extending forwardly and downwardly under the rack for promot- 10g ing circulation within the casing said casing having openings in the forward end of the case to permit the escape of carbon dioxide when in gaseous form.

FRANK SIMMONS. CHARLES M. DINGER. 

